Daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 1, with clocks turning back one hour at 2 a.m. local time in areas that observe it. For business fleets, that means more afternoon deliveries, customer visits, and return trips could happen after sunset.

If you’re reading this before Nov. 1, there’s still time to give drivers a heads-up and check schedules before the change. Already turned the clocks back? These reminders can help throughout the darker months.

Earlier darkness can make addresses, parking lot entrances, and pedestrians harder to spot. Add evening commuter traffic and fall weather, and a familiar route may need a little more time.

“When you combine extra traffic from the evening commute with any precipitation, travel will be slow going,” said Tyler Roys, senior meteorologist and lead European forecaster at AccuWeather.

A Few Checks Before the Next Shift

Fleet managers don’t need a large operation to make a few useful adjustments:

• Check visibility. Make sure headlights, brake lights, and turn signals work, and clean windshields, mirrors, and light lenses. Ask drivers which customer stops or parking areas need better lighting.
• Give schedules another look. Allow for slower travel when darkness, rain, and commuter traffic overlap. Where practical, move poorly lit stops into daylight hours without cutting into driver rest.
• Watch for seasonal hazards. Remind drivers to watch for deer around dawn and dusk. Clear fallen leaves from loading and parking areas, where rain can make them slippery, and monitor wet surfaces as temperatures drop.
• Check in about fatigue. Encourage consistent sleep routines and make sure drivers know whom to contact if they become too tired to continue safely.
• Verify clocks and appointments. Check vehicle clocks, scheduling tools, and customer reminders, especially when employees travel across time zones or into areas that do not observe daylight saving time.

A quick conversation with drivers can also reveal problems a forecast or route planner won’t show, such as a dark entrance or a customer lot that becomes difficult to navigate after sunset.

For more guidance, including AccuWeather insights on pavement temperatures, refreezing, and changing precipitation, read Work Truck’s full article on navigating the effects of daylight saving time on fleets.